Dr. Ralf Schäfer

Can we trust the machine?

Ralf Schäfer is Head of the Video Division at Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) in Berlin. After studying Electrical Engineering at the Technincal University Berlin (TUB) and receiving his Dipl.-Ing. Degree, he joined HHI as a researcher. In 1984, he received his doctorate at TUB in the area of digital video coding of TV signals. He became head of department in 1989 and is currently responsible for 90 researchers and 50 undergraduate students. His research interests cover all areas related to images and video, from acquisition to display and from algorithm development to ASIC implementation. Beside his role as Head of Division, he is responsible for 3 technology centers, namely the CINQ Center, a forum for knowledge and technology transfer related to Smart Data (www.cinq.de), the Innovation Center for Immersive Imaging Technologies – 3IT (www.3it-berlin.de) and the TiME-Lab (www.timelab-hhi.com), where immersive technologies are developed and demonstrated.